Astonishing Ant-Aunt
by Lovingh3art
Summary: Aunt May's life is changed forever when a mysterious stranger gives her the chance to become the Astonishing Ant-Aunt! Gifted with new powers and BIG responsibilities, May must balance fighting supervillains, hanging out with her friend Anna Watson, and keeping her house in order all at once. But how will others, mainly her nephew Spider-Man, react? And who is out to get her?
1. The Offer

**Disclaimer- I do not own Marvel Comics or any of the characters pertaining from it that appear in this, mainly Aunt May, Spider-Man, and Ant-Man. There are some OGs I've created for this.**

CHAPTER ONE

 _The Offer_

…

The sun rose over the mass of clustered houses like a shining star. Sunlight stretched into the dips of shade, making it lit from the outside perfectly. The home was just another place in Forest Hills, but it was unique in that it housed someone of individuality. A woman whose qualities made her a force to be reckoned with.

Behind the screen porch door, May Parker was working on the laundry. Out of all of her daily routines, this was by far easy. She folded her shirts into a pile, the pants on the hangers, and socks into a clumped bunch. When this was done, she silently put the basket behind the couch and sat down, her bones tired from the mild work.

She scanned the living room. Her television rested on the player, a basic remote next to the flyer advertising an exciting cable deal. She hadn't the time to waste on something like that. The stairs were vacuumed and properly cleaned, the windows free of dust, and kitchen offered a simple lunch. Without Peter or – Ben – she found she had more free time than normal.

It'd been some time since Peter had left for college, and even more since he'd graduated to work for the Bugle as a full-time photographer. These days were lonely, but May had occasional visits from him and her friend Anna Watson to cherish. Anna really was a sweet person; they both went on lively jogs twice a week down Central Park, saw plays, and gossiped about recent news.

Of course, when Peter wasn't working or seeing her, he most likely was playing hero as Spider-Man. It'd taken her some time to figure it out, but his absences and half-baked excuses eventually added up to him being the Wall-Crawler. When she found out, May was shocked; it was like her whole image of him shattered. But time went on, and she came to accept his calling as a hero, especially since he repeatedly dedicated using his powers to honor Ben.

It still stung at her. She missed him. But she understood that he was gone, and she had to enjoy how much life she had left. It must be worth something.

But what?

The doorbell rang, leaving May perplexed. She wasn't expecting any visits today, and all her money matters were paid through social security. Nevertheless, she slowly made her way to the door, opening it candidly. To her surprise, nobody was there except for a box at her feet. Peering to see if she'd mistaken the absence, May still couldn't find a giver and took the package inside.

She moved to the couch and placed the package on the table. She carefully opened it, finding Styrofoam bits inside. Another box was inside of this, black and sealed with tape. Her eyes vaulted to a smaller ball with a note attached saying "OPEN FIRST." May obliged by ripping the tape to shreds. In doing so, she found that she held a palm-sized walkie talkie. Who still used these?

Suddenly, a voice sounded from the newly-discovered communication device. "Greeting, Mrs. Parker."

May was taken aback by this. "Who is this? Is this a joke?"

"Oh, no," the voice said. "This is no joke, May. I'm here to make an offer to you. One that will change your world forever."

"You don't sound like a nice person," she replied cautiously.

"Look, I'm not here to hurt you or your nephew, even if he is a wall-crawling hero."

"What are you- "she was cut off as the voice sounded again.

"Enough. Just give me five minutes to talk. After that, do what you want with what I've sent. But hear me out."

"…Go on," May said.

The voice on the walkie talkie continued. "The world judges people like books. They see someone's shell and label it that forever. To many, you are a middle-aged woman. But I know you, as do others. You are strong, polite, and seek justice everywhere. You don't let your age keep you down. I like that."

"There are people who are in need, May. People whose battles have never been fought or heard of. I'm talking about Forest Hills."

"Forest Hills?" she didn't understand. "What are you getting at?"

"The crime rate here is publically misread. It's higher than the cops and politicians say it is, and nobody does a thing about it."

"If that's so, why don't go to the police or some hero?" May asked. "They could do something."

"No, they can't! You know this place. You've known it ever since you came years ago with your husband. I want change to happen here. I want life to be full of meaning, instead of stuck in the same routine day after day. And to achieve that, I want you to do something for me."

"What?"

"Open the box," the voice croaked.

May nervously eyed the box. She worried about something dangerous being in there, but her instincts told her it was okay. As a result, she clawed at the taped layer. The tape peeled off easily, and what was underneath the black paper shocked her.

It was a red spandex costume with black gloves and boots, to which she realized was her size. A belt of silver canisters lay in a spiraled loop. Next to that was a rotund silver helmet that held two twin antennas. Finally, an orange medication bottle with one white pill in it rested against the edge of the fabric bag.

The person wanted her to become Ant-Man.

"Are you serious?" she said in a shrill voice. "This has to be some joke, for real. I'm not about to play a superhero! I'm an old woman past her prime for heaven's sake!"

"Again, I'm not joking," the voice replied. "May, there needs to be someone out there keeping these streets safe. You could make a difference out there, helping others and unburdening their day. Imagine that."

"This is pure poppycock," she said. "I'm not doing it." She moved towards the mess of items, hoping to throw it in the garbage container.

"Wait! Just listen!"

"I'm not playing superhero!"

"Okay, please, just hear me out. You don't have to try it on. One last plea, and then I go."

May wanted him to shut up. She wanted him to stop getting into her personal life and try and get her to accept some crazy proposal. But something about what he had said made her want to hear him – even if it was off.

"Fine. What do you want to say?"

"Every day since Ben left you, what have you been? The pitiful widow? The aunt cheering on her spandex nephew? The woman helping out a local business? Those are small roles, and they never last. When did you ever do something that made you feel truly alive? With this, you could do something more than fold laundry and go out of this house once a day. This is your chance to make a contribution to the larger world. Think about it." The voice cut off, leavens static.

…

After a small dinner that evening in the kitchen, May walked upstairs and lay on her bed. The box laid on the table, untouched since the afternoon.

She thought about what the voice had said. Ever since Ben died, she had done those things. She'd felt a contribution towards society for them. But some small part of her just felt unsatisfied, perhaps because they weren't as big as an actual job or a successful career. All she really did was live on social security checks and keep in touch with her nephew, whose life was bound to be infinitely more exciting.

She needed a change.

May got up and looked at the mirror on her wall. The wrinkles in her face were visible, the white hair with streaks of silver laid bare upon it. But the eyes – they were unscathed by the years. The determination could still be seen there, and it made sense. She wanted to make a difference.

Slowly she worked her way down the stairs. She didn't care if the lights weren't on, she just wanted to do it. May walked to the box, opened the contents, and scattered them across the table. She turned towards the windows, which looked like they were all closed. By the looks of it, she could try this on without any attention.

She took off her garments and put them on the chair, leaving on her underwear and socks on. She slipped on the red bodysuit quickly, finding that it fit her frame well. The black gloves were easy to apply, as were the black boots on her feet. Next, she tied the belt around her waist, and all that remained was the helmet.

The elderly woman examined it tenderly in her fingers. Two eye slits and a space for her mouth, with a speaker piece, were there. It went on like a charm, and to her surprise, it was light on her face. Now she was complete.

She looked at the belt to see two canisters of gray. Deciding to try things out, she pressed the button on the left canister.

Nothing happened. Then May began to feel something. A tiny shock worked through her body, and soon her nerves were on fire. Things became enlarged as they devolved into darker colors, and then everything went black.

 **Hi, guys! This is my second fanfic, and my first Marvel "Original Idea" one, so I hope you all like this!**

 **I got the idea to do this when I saw a "What if" where Aunt May became Ant-Man and was dubbed the "Astonishing Ant-Aunt." It seemed like such a good idea, I decided to integrate it into a fanfic. As such, I'm going to try and do May and others justice while making something original and unique.**

 **Also, for those wondering, this fic is set in marvel comics continuity. Expect some modern legacy characters to have their original counterparts (ex. Captain America is Steve Rogers). Just FYI.**


	2. First Shrink

CHAPTER TWO

 _First Shrink_

…

"Uuugggghhhh…"

May slowly opened her eyes. She felt numb beyond measure, her old body wracked with tiredness. It felt like more than her figure could normally take. However, when she realized where she was, her brain quickly figured out why.

It seemed…impossible. She was in her living room, but it was much bigger than she was. The coffee table she had put the box on reached the height of a skyscraper. The ceiling lights seemed as far off as the sun. What made her most off balance was that her carpet was like a jungle of fibers to her. The individual furs went well over herself, and she felt almost nonexistent in regards to them.

Standing up, she realized she was still wearing the spandex red-and-black costume she'd gotten in the package. She now understood what had happened; the costume was similar to Ant-Man's, and in messing with it, she'd shrunk. May viewed her belt controls. She eyed the same button she'd pressed before and did the same. However, nothing seemed to happen. She pressed it again and again, yet still to no effect. "What is going on?" she said.

May looked around the sea of fibers obscuring her view and saw a massive leg in the corner. It had to be her couch. Maybe if she could reach it and get from there onto the coffee table, she could find something to restore her to normal size. It was worth a shot anyways. As such, she began walking quickly through the carpet, making her way among the massive fibers. As she got increasingly closer, she found the fibers to be closer, and thus caused her to squeeze through cracks a lot more.

When she did this, she oddly noted that she pushed the fibers away with ease. Somehow she was stronger...was it a side-effect of shrinking? May didn't have time to tell. She was just about to near the leg when she heard a sound behind her, and turning, she saw to her astonishment an ant twice the size of herself. It sent waves of fear through the elderly woman. _What should I do?_

The ant roared an inaudible sound and charged at her. In instinct, May held up her hands, closed her eyes, and said, "Wait!" She still kept her eyes closed, but seconds passed and no pain was felt. Opening them, she found the ant to be standing there curiously as if it had been docile the whole time. May then realized she'd talked through the mouth piece connecting from the helmet. _Did he hear me through this?"_ she wondered.

Seeking to figure it out, May spoke through the microphone, "Sit." The ant sat down as commanded, much to her shock. So the helmet's microphone allowed her to communicate with ants, and in this case, control them. No wonder Ant-Man worked wonders with insects – it made total sense! May suddenly remembered her intent and boarded the ant's back before commanding it to climb up the couch. Responding instinctively, the ant began working its crawl up the leg, the elderly costumed woman hanging on for dear life.

May's insect misconceptions began to fall apart as the ant quickened its pace. For years, she'd treated them as pests and irritations. But now, she understood how big and scary real life could be. How everything was like an elephant, and every second could mean certain death. It was all a risk, essentially.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the ant, which had traversed to the top of the couch and now stared at the living room. From her seat on its' back, May's living room resembled a human version of a giant canyon. The kitchen looked far away as mountains in the distance, and the door reached what might be her definition of the sky in the ceiling. Luckily for her, she managed to see the coffee table perfectly fine, and the box with it.

The middle-aged woman hopped off her ant and decided to make to try to make a jump for the table. At her size, the gap was the length of at least two rows of seats. But she couldn't give up. Nerves kicked in and May ran off, gaining speed like a cheetah. Reaching the edge of the armrest, the miniature senior leaped into the air with hopeful vigor. She felt herself reach a height she'd never seen before, and the table seemed within reach.

And then, like a dream, reality kicked back in and she was falling, farther than ever from the table. The miniature woman hit the ground and was once again knocked out, her petite shrunken form hidden between the covering carpet furs.

…

The Stranger kneeled carefully at the carpet, seeing a miniature figure in red and black. Blast it! He'd only just given the suit to her and she'd already nearly killed herself. She hadn't even taken the pill. If he didn't intervene now, this whole idea would fall apart faster than he'd expected it to work out.

With delicate care, his fingers stretched until they became as flat as paper and long enough to work at a safe distance. They scooped her up from right under the fibers and brought her into the palm of his hand. Carefully, he laid her down upon the very coffee table. Then it came to his attention that she needed something better to lay on. A small doll bed came to his mind, and instantly she was on it.

The stranger sat on the couch and put his hands under his head, supported by his knees. When she woke up, they were going to have a little talk…

 **Ouch! Things aren't going too well for May. The next chapter is going to focus on some stuff with the Stranger, and also introduce some other supporting cast and events. 'Til next time!**


	3. Explanations

CHAPTER THREE

 _Explanations_

…

The blackness that had taken hold once again disappeared. Eyes opening to find herself in the enlarged living room, it took a few seconds for May to realize her helmet was off; even more, she was on a fluffy bed, most likely for something like a doll. She looked up to see a total stranger on her couch. She inched backwards, but even as she did, she couldn't help looking at him. He had the appearance of an aged man with a heavy beard, but a massive black shadow enveloped his figure and thus made these details indistinguishable. His view was focused on her and her alone.

He spoke. "Hello again, May. It seems fate wants us to meet more than I had planned." His voice sounded hard, aged. Without a walkie talkie to communicate through, the texture of how he said things was different.

"You!" she said upon realization.

"Yes, me. And it seems by leaving this stuff to you, you almost got yourself killed on the first day. Not good."

May shrugged in irritation. "Well, it's not like you gave me instructions or anything like that. You were a stranger who came and gave me a costume. I'm not what you want yet. I need to know how this works, I need training, and further more…I need trust." She slightly clenched her red and black garb in her hand before looking up at the massive man. "Who are you?"

A sigh escaped from him. "For now, you can call me the Stranger. I can't reveal myself yet, not now, May. All I can say is that I have power untapped by…most things in the universe." He held up his hand, studying it like a priceless piece of art. Suddenly flames burst from it, much to her horror. Then the fire disappeared, but his hand was unharmed.

"I can do many things. Stretch, shrink, fly, teleport, shoot fire, wreck walls, possess multiple bodies – you name it. I was born with these powers, but I had to be responsible with them. I've used them to keep history and the world the way they've been for decades; making slight alterations if necessary, but nothing big. Now, I need you to trust me, or this redefinition of your life isn't going to work."

May took his words in, contemplating slowly. "Fine, but how does my suit work?"

"Your belt has two Pym Particle canisters inside of it. The lefts shrinks you and the right one enlarges you." He pointed to them, and May noticed them again. Both canisters looked the same as from before. "Whenever you shrink, your mass is shunted to a pocket dimension; you keep the same strength and become more dense and agile. However, you are still at risk of being crushed, drowned, or hurt because of enlarged surroundings."

"Noted," May said grimly.

"It seems you're stuck that way because the canister you sued to shrink ran out of particles. I'll need to give you a generator to make more of those. You see, Pym Particles are like bullets; you need to keep your canisters full of them after each usage, or else you can't change size."

May gave him a stern look, even while the size of a pea. "If that's so, how do I get back to normal?"

"Simple," said the Stranger. He waved his index finger. "I've put some Pym particles in your canisters. Press the right button."

Sure enough, May hit the switch and felt herself going through another shock. This time, it was more controlled; her body began to grow, the surroundings becoming normal sized. When the process ended, she found herself on the table, and the doll bed squished under her left butt cheek.

"Welcome back," he said.

She flexed her fingers, trying to make sure this was real. "Thanks."

The Stranger got up, dusting off his left arm as he did. "Well, I guess it's time for me to go. You at least got some information."

"Wait!" she said. "I have so many questions! What's the pill? How do I train for this? What –"

"Calm down," he said. "First, the pill is something that increases your bone strength. It'll help deal with shrinking, fighting, and the acrobatics associated with the job. Secondly, I'd recommend getting a personal trainer to tutor you in fighting. It might help in the job. Here." He handed her a card with the words Manhattan Central Gym on it. "Try there, there's a man whom I recommend highly. You might even recognize him." Giving a smile, he headed for the door and began to open it. When he was almost out and the door closed, he turned towards her.

"May?"

"Yes?"

"Good luck." With that, he closed the door and walked away.

May was left perplexed by the sudden revelations and dump of information. However, her phone began ringing before she could clear her mind. She picked it up to answer. "Hello?"

"May!" a familiar and sweet voice sounded from the other side. It was Anna Watson. "How are you? Want to meet up for some lunch around two at Manhattan Bites?"

"Sure," May said. "See you there." She hung up to find herself still in the costume and the helmet on the table.

 _What a world_ , she thought.

…

Having changed out of her costume, May took a standard yellow taxi to the center of New York. Whizzing past the traffic lights and bustling cars, they eventually wound up at the restaurant she decided to meet for lunch at: Manhattan Bites. It was a relatively new location, around two years old, but it appealed to many with general and special food types. For instance, healthy eaters had more access to green meals and deals here than at the twenty-something McDonalds' spread across the city.

She took a look around the massive room with various tables, spotting Anna in the back. As she walked towards her, May took in her friend's appearance. She was slightly younger than May, pure white hair with some silver in it. She had a build between lank and dumpy, and often – like today – wore bright red shirts. She smiled as May approached. "Nice to see you," she said.

May hung her purse on the chair before sitting down. "You too," she said in a manner meant to convey complacency. She opened and peered into her menu, but this didn't convince Anna entirely.

"Are you okay, May?" she asked.

"Yep. Better than ever."

"You sure?"

May straightened out over menu before slowly breathing. "Not…exactly. I've been given this…opportunity, a chance to do something I normally wouldn't try out. But I don't think I'm ready for it."

Anna grasped her hands. "Well, what do you doubt?"

"I just don't know if I'll be suited to do it well, if I can perform adequately to it," said May.

"Look. I don't know what you plan on doing, but I know your personality, May. You never give up, and you always do your hardest to help others. Peter's lucky to have you as an aunt," she remarked with a smile. "Whatever you plan on doing might seem scary, but if you push onward, I bet you'll do great."

The elderly woman felt something inspirational inside her, not having been there before. "Thanks, Anna," she said with a renewed sense of composure.

"Sure thing," Anna replied. "You getting the seafood special?"

May chuckled. How could she not?

…

In a dark warehouse somewhere else, a group of criminals armed itself for a robbery. The various gangsters each had a gun in hand, and the black ski masks they wore would keep them from being noticed. Once prepped, the criminals turned towards their leader. She wore a black vest, parts of her stomach and neck exposed. Her arms and legs were covered by black leather. The one thing off, though, was her head. Instead of a human face, it was a red ball that stood atop her neck. Turning towards her goons, she launched into a rigorous speech.

"Thank you, friends, for joining me on this endeavor. Soon, we shall finally get the revenge we all crave. And it will begin with Manhattan's east end!"

As the minions applauded her, part of her crimson ball for a head began to stretch into a lengthy arm. With little effort, the arm grasped the platform she was on and allowed her to lower to the same level as her allies. Once it became part of her head again, she motioned towards the open door.

"Ruby Thursday is ready for terror! Let us begin!"


	4. Practice Makes Perfect

CHAPTER FOUR

 _Practice Makes Perfect_

Just looking at the gym made May cautious. It was three stories tall and made of brick, but none of that helped to dispel her fears. She'd taken the pill, and sure, she felt better, but could her old bones be able to work out? _Only one way to find out_ , she thought as she progressed forward.

Stepping inside the transparent plastic doors, she found herself in a rectangular hallway. Black bricks were on the walls, a manilla floor supporting her shoes and contrasting. Some feet ahead, a male attendant sat at his desk, looking at his papers. The sudden appearance of an elderly woman shook him back to reality.

"Oh! Sorry," the clerk said hastily. "How can I help you, ma'am?"

Clearing her throat, May gave a casual reply. "My name's May Parker, I was wondering if I could sign for a crossfit exercise class with Bonesaw McGee."

The clerk looked at her funny, then said, "Sure thing. You wanting to get something out of this gym?"

"Get back in shape," she said back, attempting a natural reply.

"Okay. Bonesaw's usually full, but the computer says he's free today. I'm sure you two can arrange some kind of schedule." May handed him her credit card, which he quickly sliced through the processor. Once the money was transferred and the membership was set, she was directed down the hallway to the left. She stopped at a fairly large door and opened it.

The room looked pretty standard. Enough room to stretch and exercise. In addition to a bar set and dome dumbbells, there were two mirrors that captured the space in its entirety. However, May's eyes were focused on something else. Standing of front of the left mirror was a burly, muscular man who was roughly three feet above her height. His arms were popped like balloons in some spots, inferring he worked out a lot. His face had a spectacular black beard on it, and a mullet along his neck to match. _Wow. This is Bonesaw McGee?_

She took a step closer, the sound from her movement piercing into his ear. He turned and gave her a look as he lowered a 50-pound bar with ease. "Hello," he said with an energy in his voice. "What can I do for ya?"

Nervously, May walked closer to the man. "May Parker," she said as she held out her hand. He shook it, potentially with a bit too much force. "I want you to be my personal fitness – and self defense - trainer."

Bonesaw looked May over again before returning to her face. "You sure about this, lady? Ya don't look too up for this."

A part of her wanted to smack him for judging her by her age. However, composure took over before that happened. She quickly took off her jacket, revealing her fragile frame fitted into a smug workout top. Feeling a bit more physically and emotionally confident, she replied, "I'm sure. The question is, are you?"

Time seemed to freeze upon the man's face, and then it cracked into a massive smile. "I like you," he said. "Fierce but smart. That'll help you out working here." He motioned to the wall of dumbbells, May following him as he did this. "You ever worked out before?"

"Years ago," she said flatly. "Not much since."

"Alright!" Bonesaw said in a significantly more macho voice. "Let's get you pumped, lady!"

A sigh escaped May's body as she moved towards the dumbells. She was starting to regret this already.

…

Ok, so it hasn't been that bad, but still. Not her favorite thing to do.

After three hours of painful push-ups, heavy weights, and constant yelling from Bonesaw, May's body was divided on how it felt. Part of her body was relieved, the other part feeling grateful for the workout. Whether or not Bonesaw was a good instructor was up for debate. She'd done her research, too. Apparently, he'd been a pretty big wrestler on the low budget circuit. That was until a certain boy in a red hoodie beat him up and claimed his title. No longer a champ, Bonesaw had moved to becoming a personal trainer, most likely so he could vent his anger. If there was anything she could do without, it would be his half-baked and outdated wrestling puns.

The elderly woman took a taxi to the second location the Stranger had given her. Unlike the first one, this required a good amount of travel. When the taxi finally rested its wheels, it'd been forty-five minutes. She stepped out and gazed at a massive house, black in color and pristine in condition. Surprisingly, there were no trees or flowers planted alongside the. Taking out the address on paper to check one more time, May shuffled towards the door, gripping her gym bag all the tighter.

She quickly dinged the doorbell and waited for a response. The sight of a dark silhouette and footsteps captured her attention, so when she picked up on the first sounds of the door opening, she wasn't really surprised. The door unlocked, leaving the sight of an unknown man in front of her. He was average in height, wearing a greasy orange t shirt and black sweatpants. His black hair was messy and his body limp, but overall he seemed just average.

"You're May, right?" He asked with certainty.

"Yes. Rico Hernandez, is it?" May replied.

"Right there, you are," he said back. "Come in. I'm sure our mutual friend wants you to get prepared."

As May stepped in, she took in the hallway. It wasn't much, and the walls looked like they could use some work, but otherwise everything else was fine. She trailed behind him into the living room, sitting on a dark green couch. "So, what exactly do you do?"

Rico went to the wall and readjusted a china decoration, then looked at her. "Simple. I do tech. Whenever the Stranger needs help with something in my realm, I do my best to aid him- whether that be by hacking, turning on lights, or finding out top secret information that could save the world." He sat down, obviously not astonished by what he'd just said. "Cool, huh?"

May raised an eyebrow. "And how old are you?"

"Just turned twenty-five," Rico replied. "I graduated M.I.T three years ago."

"Wow."

"I know," said Rico. "So, lets talk about you? How's it feel doing this? A little odd, I can guess?"

She had to give him credit, he could read people. "Yeah," the elederly woman said. "It's all so new…the first time I did it wasn't so great."

"That's ok," Rico stated. "This takes time and practice, which you'll get. You've taken the pill and started training, now you need training in the suit, right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, follow me." May followed him back to the hallway, in which he turned and slid a finger underneath a cracked photo of the ocean. A small click was heard, then a secret light appeared and beeped. Behind Rico, the closet door creaked and slid to the right, revealing a hidden and previously unseen staircase. He gripped the edges of the doorframe, checking in on May with his looks.

"Watch your step," he said before descending. May took his advice, looking inquisitively at the steps prior to gripping the railings. To her surprise, the stairs were easy to manage. As she went farther down, she realized that the feel was become more technological. She soon spotted a slowly reaching space that had a wide berth, grey floors, and an easy landing which she landed on.

The basement space had a youthful but abandoned feel to it. Standing in front of walls with chipped paint and dust were various computer monitors that looked advanced and could rival the tech made from Stark Industries. A few pieces of gear were strung on a table near Rico, while a massive little maze sat in the corner.

"What is this place?" asked May.

"Consider it my playground," Rico said. "Down here, I use these computers to monitor crime, hack networks, and research baddies located in the city. They're pretty sophisticated."

"No offense, but is that door really a good way of hiding this place?"

"Don't worry," Rico quipped. "The door requires fingerprints and facial scans. Consider yourself added to the small list of people who can access it." He settled down into the chair of the one of the bigger computers.

"And how are you supposed to help me?" asked May skeptically.

"I'll talk to you through a signal transmitting into your helmet," he said. "When your on missions or just need help, Ill give you tips on where to travel, weak points in villains, etc. So, how about getting in some ant-sized training?"

May suddenly understood that he was talking about her bag, which contained her costume. Taking it out, she looked to a corner that had some covering. "Don't worry," Rico stated, "I won't look." She hurried to the corner, undressed, and then slipped the spandex costume on within a few minutes. Unlike before, a new confidence was in her. After putting the helmet on her head, she stepped out and faced Rico.

"I'm ready."

"Good," Rico replied. He observed her as he inched closer. "The Stranger wants you to get some field training in, so I took the liberty of constructing a little obstacle course for your talents." He motioned to the maze in the far-off corner, and May suddenly realized what he had been talking about. The maze had a dozen different sections, small towers and paths branching out like highways with roadblocks in their designs. It looked like the perfect size for an ant-sized woman. "You can shrink when you're ready."

Taking a deep breath, May heavily pressed the left canister on her belt. Her body shrinking by the second, she felt as if most of it was becoming lighter. Unlike the first time she'd shrunk, this time felt like it added in a tad more experience. When the visible process was over, the pint-sized senior citizen looked up to see a gigantic Rico towering over her.

"Nice! At this size, you'd fit into my wallet!"

"Don't get any ideas," she warned.

"Just joking," he said in response. "You want some help getting up?"

"I'll manage," she stated. May jumped up and landed on top of the maze's outer edge, surprising the doubts inhabiting her body. She looked down at the maze, now the size of a far-reaching street complex. Several feet ahead of her was a hole that looked about her size. She darted towards it, jumping into the tube and sliding down onto a flat platform that caught her quickly. The environment looked artificial, red and plastic with various contraptions that mimicked the function of a street.

"Okay, you in?" A voice from the helmet sounded. May assumed it was Rico.

"Yeah," she replied. "Nice street you have here."

"That's the point," Rico stated. "It's a simulation to test your training skills in a real environment. Anyways, your goal is fight your way through enemies to the top. Good luck!" He fizzled out, leaving her in the strange environment.

The petite woman wandered the streets of the fake landscape, glancing every now and then at the ceiling with blue colors of the room visible. There was an emptiness to the air that she felt, though it didn't bother her as much as she had thought. Instead, what's worried her more was the enemies she probably would need to fight.

She got her wish as she turned the corner. Standing in front of her was a twenty-foot robot, comprised of complex sections and golden color. It's red eyes swerved at her before it's left arm moved and went straight for a crushing move. May ducked out of the way, barely. She froze and became paralyzed, but then she felt something.

 _Move, May!_

It was her inner self telling her to act. She didn't wait another second. The ant avenger leapt into the air, higher than she ever thought she could. Nearing the robot's head, May let out a hard punch and socked the robot's head clean off. It flew and went crashing into an artificial building, debris splattering with ease.

Once May had landed, a new confidence took over. If she could do that, then shrinking and fighting was a piece of cake.

And so she kept moving, unfazed by the massive maze.

…

Rico sat outside of the maze in his chair. He sipped a soda and looked at the contraption, slightly worried. It's been two hours. What was taking her so long?

His questioned was answered as a ringing noise sounded suddenly. Before he could turn it off, a small figure jumped out of the maze and collapsed onto the ground. A puff of smoke later, an exhausted and worn out woman was laying on the floor.

"Nice job," Rico said. He patted her on the back, then extended a helping hand that she took. "You did pretty good."

May sat in a chair opposite his and took off the helmet. Sweat was plastered on her face like a mask. "That maze was tough, especially the robots."

"Exactly," said Rico. "I've been meaning to do that. Anyways, you feel like you got your training in?"

The senior citizen cocked an eyebrow. "Why?"

A smile spread across Rico's face. "Because now we move onto the next step…ants."


End file.
